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 Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2007 5:53 pm
This will be a log of my progress with Susie's training, or just some thoughts, or whatever!
Comments are welcome!
February 25th, 2007
Background info time! razz A week or so ago, Susie got caught in the page wire fence and cut herself in two places on her left hind leg; on the inside of her hock, and on her pastern, down across her coronary band. She then proceeded to escape and our neighbours knocked on our door at 7 pm saying "your horse is eating our lawn!".. So we haltered her and got her inside no problem, and I swear I checked her over but the lighting in her stall is bad so I only noticed the cuts the next day >_< I called the vet as soon as I realized she was hurt, and he sent some penicillin and bute home with my dad. I also called the stable manager where I used to work, Jaimie, who is a distant cousin and remains a friend.. She gave me advice on how to take care of the wounds and gave me some stuff to clean it with.
Anyway, the reason I'm posting isn't because of the cuts, but because of the penicillin.. Susie is deathly afraid of IM injections. She colicked one time and the vet came and gave her something for pain.. It took us like 15 minutes to get it into her. She was wild, and kicking, and ehfbdsjhfbdshfd. So when I had to give her penicillin for the cuts, I asked Jaimie to come over and help me, because I had no idea how we were going to get it into her. She brought her boyfriend and with the two of us holding Susie she got it in her.. But it was hard; she was running around the stall like a maniac and was insanely hard to hold on to.
So when it came time to give it to her again, I didn't want to call Jaimie a second time because she seriously is so busy with work she probably has little time for herself.. So I asked my mom, who used to be a nurse, to help. I held her head and pinched her neck while dad fed her an apple, and mom stuck her.. Susie started swinging her butt around and freaking out and SOMEHOW my mom stayed with her, even though she was terrified of the horse, she was nearly crying by the end but she did SO awesome.
Okay, anyway, I talk a lot, but basically, we had to give her another needle tonight and my mom was just dreading it.. We got in there and repeated our routine.. Hold her head, pinch her neck, feed her an apple, and..
HOLY s**t SHE DIDN'T EVEN FLINCH. I s**t you not, she did not move an inch!! I started patting her on the neck and telling her how good she was and I was just so incredibly proud.. Mom got the penicillin in absolutely no problem and Susie couldn't have cared less.
It just amazes me how fast she learns.. All she needs is a TEENSY bit of encouragement and reward and she understands what I want from her. It almost brings tears to my eyes to see just how good she is, and I feel so proud because she started off as a blank slate and everything she knows.. I did it. I did it! I'm always doubting myself but somehow.. I never doubt Susie. I can't WAIT to spend the next decade or two with her!! biggrin
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Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2007 11:34 am
March 27th, 2007
Well, it's been a month and I haven't really done anything with Suse because it's just been so wet/cold/muddy/every type of weather besides dry. I hadn't thoroughly brushed her in a while because she was always rolling and the dust coming off her made me choke D;
Also, she's been in a really weird mood, tons of nipping and she comes up at you if you approach her from the front. I went out to feed her at lunch and realized she was in a GREAT mood today; actually she was yesterday too, no nipping or mule kicking or anything. She REALLY needed to be brushed because she started shedding yesterday so it was the perfect opportunity.
So anyway, I was getting the crossties ready to bring her up (and she hasn't been in them in a while because I just brush her when she's loose and eating), and she walks right up to them, and stops where she's supposed to XD She stood perfectly still while I brushed her more thoroughly than I think I ever have. I used the scraper thingy (the one with teeth, wtf is that thing called?) on her and took off about a cat-sized mass of loose fur XD I could tell she was just loving it. Her lip was quivering a tiny bit but not much. She was also great with her feet. Overall I was very, very impressed and she got a big treat and TONS of hugs and kisses and pats and "GOOOOOOD GIIIIRRRLLL"s XD
I'm so excited that spring is coming soon, I can't wait to start ground driving her again. And free lunging. And eeeverything biggrin I'm thinking of sticking the saddle on her someday soon and giving my little cousin a ride, too. It'll be a great way to get her used to weight on her back. Maybe I can make it a daily thing if it goes well biggrin
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